Fluid cooled double acting pistons for high temperature engines



Feb. 5, 1963 Filed May 5, 1960 FLUID COOLED DOUBLE ACTING PISTONS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE ENGINES H. M. ARNOLD 4 Sheets-Sheet l H.' M. ARNOLD FLUID COOLED DOUBLE ACTING PISTONS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE ENGINES Feb. 5, 1963 4 shets-sneet 2 Filed May 5, 1960 IN V EN TOR.

WIT/V555@ 'H. M. ARNOLD FLUID COOLED DOUBLE ACTING PISTONS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE ENGINES Feb.- 5, 1963 3,076,439l

Filed May 5, 1960 4 sheets-sheet :s

y IN V EN TOR. WM/f77.

I wmv/55s Feb; s, 1963 Filed May 5. 1960 H. M. ARNOLD 3,076,439 FLUID cooLEn DOUBLE ACTING PIsToNs FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE ENGINES 4 Sl'xeets-Sheetl 4 a. i 'a l* '4 f' r .N ff Y k N s Q 'ii-11 9 EE if w1 21 lL INVENTOR. f MWh/5w@ 3,076,439 FLUID COLED DOUBLE ACTING PISTGNS FOR HGI-l TEMPERATURE ENGINES Harry M. Arnold, 222 S. th St., Douglas, Wyo. Filed May 5, 1961i, Ser. No. 27,020 4 Claims. (Cl. 1211) This invention relates to double acting piston engines and piston valves utilizing highly heated gases and, or, highly superheated steam for reciprocating a piston in Ithe engine cylinder.

The main object of my invention is to provide improved means for circulating a cooling agent or cooling, sealing and lubricating agent through the piston and, or, piston Valves of an engine of the character stated. Eiorts have been made to circulate such agents through engine pistons but the mechanisms heretofore devised `for that purpose have employed flexible connections, a change in volume or intermittent flow, which have proven to be ineiicient and unsatisfactory in use.

Other objects and advantages of'the invention will become apparent from the drawings and following speci- Y'iication in which like numbers designate like or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of one type of a long double acting piston and a cylinder barrel embodying my invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 on the section line 2 2 and shows the passageways for the circulating agent.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of another type of a long piston 4and a cylinder barrel embodying my invention.

FIG. 4 is a crossasectional View at 4 4 of FIG. 3 and shows the passagev-.fays for the circulating agent.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 on the seci tion line 8 8 showing ythe passageways into and out of the jackets in the piston heads. i

FIG. 9 is a modiii-cation View of FIG. 1, showing jackets .in the piston heads and a division in the entering passageway. l

FIG. 10 is an eX-act cross-section of FIG. 9 on the section line N lt and shows the jackets and bridge dividing the entering passageway.

FlG. 1l is a longitudinal sectional view of a long piston provided with webbed heads for conducting heat to the jacketin g system.

FIG. 12 is an exact cross-section of FIG. ll on the section line 12-1'2 and shows details of the webs.

Referring to FIG. l, which gives the general idea of my circulating means, fthe numeral 1d indicates cylinder i eads closing the ends of the cylinder 11 while the long piston' 12, with plain piston heads, is free to reciprocate in the cylinder 11. The piston 12 is provided with the usual piston rod 13 and piston rings or other means 14 to secure a seal at the ends of the piston 12. Channels are provided around the ends yof the piston 12 for holding the circulating agent as shown at the section line 2 2 and K K. The center of the cylinder 11 is also provided with a channel completely around its inside as shown at It is to be noted in this design, the circulating agent enters one of .the passageways at 2 2 and circulates around the piston' 12 and leaves Ltrom the opposite opening at 2-2 in the cylinder `11. The chambers around the ends of the piston 12 at 2 2 `and K K trap a portion of the circulating agent and carry it along the barrel of the cylinder 11 each way from the cent-ral passageway in the cylinder 11 at 2 2. The central portion of the piston 12 travels back and forth through a steady stream of fluid while the end portions of the cylinder barrel 11 are alternately exposed to the fluid trapped in the channels around the end portions of the piston 12. Both the piston 12 and cylinder barrel 11 are exposed directly to the circulating agent. A pocket 20 may be provided in the side of the piston 12 so a rod or bar can be inserted at one of the openings at 2 2 to hold the piston from rotating out of proper position while assembling the engine mechanism.

In' FIG. 2, taken on the section line 2 2 of FIG. 1, is shown one of the channels in the piston 12 and the larger channel around this in the cylinder barrel 11. The plain piston heads shown at the ends Iof the piston 12 in FIGS. 1 and 2 will conduct heat to the jacketing system around the ends of the piston 12. When the channels around the piston 12 are not in communication with the inlet and outlet at 2 2 in the cylinder I11 the circulating agent can continue to circulate around the outside of the piston 12 and through lthe jackets in the heads at 2 2 in the cylinder 11 until again acted upon at 2 2 in the cylinder barrel 11.

FIG. 3 shows the general idea of my circulating means applied to a diierent design of piston 12 and cylinder barrel 11. The iiuid enters one of the openings at 4 4 and is all vforced to pass around and through the spool type piston 12, as indicated by arrows. The passageways in the cylinder barrel 11 at 4 4 do not continue completely around the piston 12 as is the case in FIGS. 1 and 2. In order to restrict the flow of fluid directly Iaround the outside of the spool type piston 12 a partition 18, shown in dotted lines, can be provided along each side of the piston 12 allowing a much smaller clearance between the cylinder barrel 11 and piston 12 at this point. Since only a part of the fluid can pass these partitions 18 the remainder of the fluid must pass through the jackets 191 in the heads of the piston 12. After the tluid passes around and through the jackets 19 in the heads of the piston 12 it leaves the cylinder 11 at the opposite opening at 4 4, as shown by arrows. It is to be noted the circulating agent contacts a much greater area of both the piston 12 and cylinder barrel 11 than is the case in FIGS. 1 and 2 and that the long passageway around the outside of the piston 12 is always in communication withv the inlet and outlet passageways at the section line 2 2 in dotted lines and it is clearly A The FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional View of one end of the piston 12 and cylinder 11 on the section line 4 4 of FIG. 3 `and shows the inlet and the outlets in the ends of the piston 12. A very large area in the piston 12 is cooled by the circulating agent; see arrows. The ends of the partitions 13, which are optional, can be seen.

FIG. 5 shows the idea of FIG. 3 applied to the piston portion of a piston poppet valve 16. Heat is conducted from the valve end to the spool type of chamber at 16 around the piston portion of the valve. No partitionsv 13 are used in this design and all the uid passes around the outer surface of the piston 16.

FIG. 6 shows a more complicated construction of a double open end piston poppet valve 16 embodying the idea of FIG. 3. In this case partitions 18, shown in dotted lines, may be used to restrict the ow of fluid around the outside of the piston portion of the valve 16.

aereas@ Most of the fluid must pass into and around the inside of the valve end of the piston 16 before it can leave through the opposite opening, as shown by arrows. In this construction the entire inside of the valve is cooled by the circulating agent.

In both FIGS. 5 and 6 an opening 21 is provided into the spring chambers for a gas under pressure to enter to assist the springs 17 in holding the valves 16l closed when released by the valve opening means. In these views the numeral 13 indicates the usual valve rod.

FIG. 7 shows the assembly of FIG. 3 equipped with several passageways, channels, inlets and outlets. The circulating agent enters alternate passageways and leaves the passageways inbetween. FIG. 8 taken on the section line 8 8 of FIG. 7 shows fluid entering at 88 and leaving at outlets 23 and 24, as shown by arrows in both views. The outlet 23 is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 7. The outlet 24 is in the half of FIG. 7 which was removed.

FIG. 8 shows passageways 25 into and out of the jacketing system 19 in the heads of the piston 12 of FIG. 7. Partitions 18 along the piston 12 restrict the flow directly around the piston 12. When the construction of FIGS. 7 and 8 is used in large size engines the piston 12 can be balanced by allowing the lluid to enter at several inlets and leave at properly located outlets. If all the incoming tluid enters against one -side of the piston 12, it will be crowded to the opposite side of the cylinder 11 and will cause excessive wear.

In FIG. 9 the heads of the piston 12 are provided with jackets for the circulating agent. The end of the piston rod 13 is surrounded by a jacket. The bridge or partition 15 in the entering passageway divides the circulating agent and restricts its ow sufliciently to send it at high velocity each way around the trunk of the piston 12 in the channel provided at 10-10 around the inside of the cylinder 11. The side thrust on the piston 12 is relieved. A partial vacuum or low pressure area is formed under the bridge 1S which induces a ow of the circulating agent through the jackets in the heads of the piston 12, when the jackets around the piston at 10--10 and K-K are in communication with the inlet, outlet and channel around the inside of the cylinder 11 at 10-10.

FIG. 10, which is taken on the section line 10--10 of FIG. 9, shows the details of the ow of the circulating agent; see arrows. The fluid going at high velocity each way around the trunk of the piston 12 meets at the outlet at the bottom. Some of the uid leaves the outlet at the bottom while a part of it is syphoned up through the jackets in the piston heads of the piston 12. When the chambers around the piston 12 at 10h-10' and K-K are not in communication with the fluid going around the inside of the cylinder 11 the Huid in the jackets of the piston 12 can continue to circulate through and around the piston 12.

FIG. l1 is a longitudinal sectional view through two of the webs 22 in each end of the piston 12. It can be seen how the webs 22 conduct the heat to the spool type passageway around the trunk of the piston 12 as indicated by dotted lines extending the full length of the spool type passageway. While the webs 22 are applied to a spool type of piston 12 as used in FIG. 3, the webbed construction 22 can also be used in the heads of the pistons of FIGS. 1 and 7 and in the piston poppet valves FIGS 5 and 6i.

FIG. 12, taken on the section line 12--12 of FIG. l1 shows the webs 22 in cross-section at the piston rod end. It can be seen how the webs 22 conduct heat away from the hub surrounding the piston rod 13. The partitions 18, which are optional, can be seen in cross-section. They may extend from one end of the spool type of passages way to the other end if desired.

From the description of the means for circulating a cooling agent, or cooling, sealing and lubricating agent through pistons shown herein, it will be noted the mechanism is entirely free of flexible connection and changes in volume as the piston 12 reciprocates and a large continuous opening is provided for all positions of the piston 12 and piston-poppet valves 16. The piston moves all together as one piece while the cylinder is a solid unit with no flexible joints.

By circulating the fluid through the pistons under sutiicient pressure the hot gases expanding behind the heads of the piston will not be able to blow past the Irings or other sealing means at the ends of the piston. Graphite, or other lubricants of sullicient body can be sent through in the circulating agent to lubricate and seal the rings against leakage into the ends of the cylinders 1.1.

In the appended claims, the expression circulating agent is employed to designate a cooling medium or a cooling, sealing and lubricating agent, whichever may be employed. Water, oil, wet air, saturated steam and other wet gases, liquids or vapors may be used in this circulating system. A surface made wet with water or moisture conducts heat away 40 times faster than a dry surface exposed to a dry gas. When one pound of water or moisture evaporates at atmospheric pressure it conducts away 970 B.t.u. of heat at a constant temperature of 212 F. but one pound of dry air heating up F. conducts away scarcely 25 B.t.u. of heat.

Changes may be made in the details of construction and in the form and arrangement of parts without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a reciprocating piston engine of the double acting type, a cylinder with a piston reciprocating therein, said cylinder having a centrally arranged inlet with a channel extending part way around said cylinder barrel for admitting a circulating agent to the inside of the cylinder barrel and at a point part way around the inside of the cylinder barrel and outlet with a channel extending part way around the cylinder barrel provided for said circulating agent to leave, a piston longer than the stroke of said piston provided with a sealing means adjacent its ends, said sealing means located a greater distance apart than the -stroke of said piston and so located that a positive seal against leakage of said circulating agent into the ends of said cylinder barrel can be made elfective, said piston provided with a spool type of passageway between its outer surface and the surface of the cylinder barrel extending completely around the piston and from the sealing means at one end to the sealing means at the other end of said piston, said spool type of passageway always in communication with the inlet and outlet openings and channels in the cylinder barrel provided for the circulating agent, said piston provided with a jacketing means through the heads thereof so a part of the circulating agent can circulate therethrough and around the end of the piston rod in said piston and said cylinder provided with a means closing the ends thereof.

2. In a reciprocating piston engine of the double acting type, a cylinder with a piston reciprocating therein, said cylinder having a plurality of centrally arranged inlets each having a channel extending part way around said cylinder barrel for admitting a circulating agent to the inside of the cylinder barrel, said inlets so located that the side thrust imposed upon said piston by fluid entering one inlet is balanced off by the side thrust imposed by uid entering the remaining inlets; thereby allowing the piston to reciprocate freely with very little, if any, wear against said cylinder barrel and at suitably located points between said inlets in said cylinder barrel outlets with channels being provided for said circulating agent to leave, -a piston longer than the travel of said piston pro vided with a sealing means adjacent its ends, said sealing means located a greater distance apart than the travel of said piston and -so located that a positive seal against leakage of said circulating agent into the ends of said cylinder barrel can be obtained, said piston provided @,eraaac with a spool type of passageway between its outer surface and the surface of the cylinder barrel extending completely around the piston and from the sealing means at one end to the sealing means at the other end and having parallel partitions located length ways along the piston, said partitions forcing a large part of the circulating agent to ow through jackets provided in the piston heads and around the piston rod on its way to the outlet channels and outlets in the side of said cylinder barrel provided for said circulating agent to leave, said passageways and piston head jackets always incommunication with said inlets, outlets and channels in said cylinder barrel for said circulating agent and said cylinder provided with a head means closing both ends thereof.

3. In a reciprocating piston engine of the double acting type, a cylinder with a piston reciprocating therein, said cylinder having centrally arranged inlets and channels Iextending part way around said cylinder barrel for admitting a circulating Aagent to the inside of the cylinder barrel and at `a point between said inlets and channels; outlets and channels extending part way around said cylinder barrel provided for said circulating agent to leave, a piston longer than the travel of said piston provided with a sealing means ladjacent its ends, said sealing means located a greater distance apart than the travel of said piston and so located that Ia positive seal against leakage of said circulating agent into the ends of said cylinder b-arrel can be made effective, said piston provi-ded with a spool type of passageway around its outer surface between it and the cylinder barrel extending completely 'around the piston and from the sealing means at one end to the sealing means Iat the other end of said piston, said `spool type of passageway always in communication with the inlet and outlet openings and channels in the cylinder barrel provided for the circulating agent to enter and leave, partitions properly located along the sides of said piston to restrict the ilow of said circu1ating agent around the sides o-f said piston so a part of said circulating agent must pass through jackets provided in the heads of said piston and around Ithe piston rod, said `cylinder provided with a means for closing both ends thereof.

4. In a reciprocating piston engine of the double acting type, a cylinder with a piston reciprocating therein, said cylinder having Ia centrally arranged inlet and a channel extending part vv-ay varound said cylinder barrel for admitting a circula-ting agent to the inside of the cylinder barrel and `at a point part way around the cylinder barrel an outlet and a channel extending part way around said cylinder barrel provided for said circula-ting agent to leave, a piston longer than the stroke of said piston provided with a sealing means adjacent its ends, said sealing means located a greater distance apart than the stroke of said piston and so located that a positive seal against leakage of said circulating agent into the ends of said cylinder barrel can be made effective, said piston provided with a spool type of passageway around its outer surface between it and the cylinder barrel extending completely around the piston and from the sealing means at one end to the sealing means at the other end of said piste-n, said spool type of passageway always in ycommunication with the inlet and outletl openings and 4channels provided in the cylinder barrel for the circulating agent to enter and leave, said cylinder provided with a head means for closing both ends thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS `1,057,063 Knudsen Mar. 25, 1913 1,294,419 Dady Feb. 18, 1919 1,363,708 Bennis Dec. 28, 1920 2,150,740 Hammersmith Mar. 14, 1939 2,224,229 Miller Dec. 18, 1940 2,322,293 Hedges June 22, 1943 2,376,160 Marburg May 15, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 225,043 Germany Aug. 8, 1910 768,085 Germany Nov. 3, 1955 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Noo 3O7439 February 5i1 1963 Harry Ma Arnold lt is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered pat- 1 ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4v line 37o for "and" read e en ma Signed and 0sealed this4 lst day of October 19630 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST Wo SWIDER. i DAVID L LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A RECIPROCATING PISTON ENGINE OF THE DOUBLE ACTING TYPE, A CYLINDER WITH A PISTON RECIPROCATING THEREIN, SAID CYLINDER HAVING A CENTRALLY ARRANGED INLET WITH A CHANNEL EXTENDING PART WAY AROUND SAID CYLINDER BARREL FOR ADMITTING A CIRCULATING AGENT TO THE INSIDE OF THE CYLINDER BARREL AND AT A POINT PART WAY AROUND THE INSIDE OF THE CYLINDER BARREL AND OUTLET WITH A CHANNEL EXTENDING PART WAY AROUND THE CYLINDER BARREL PROVIDED FOR SAID CIRCULATING AGENT TO LEAVE, A PISTON LONGER THAN THE STROKE OF SAID PISTON PROVIDED WITH A SEALING MEANS ADJACENT ITS ENDS, SAID SEALING MEANS LOCATED A GREATER DISTANCE APART THAN THE STROKE OF SAID PISTON AND SO LOCATED THAT A POSITIVE SEAL AGAINST LEAKAGE OF SAID CIRCULATING AGENT INTO THE ENDS OF SAID CYLINDER BARREL CAN BE MADE EFFECTIVE, SAID PISTON PROVIDED WITH A SPOOL TYPE OF PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN ITS OUTER SURFACE AND THE SURFACE OF THE CYLINDER BARREL EXTENDING COMPLETELY AROUND THE PISTON AND FROM THE SEALING MEANS AT ONE END TO THE SEALING MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID PISTON, SAID SPOOL TYPE OF PASSAGEWAY ALWAYS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INLET AND OUTLET OPENINGS AND CHANNELS IN THE CYLINDER BARREL PROVIDED FOR THE CIRCULATING AGENT, SAID PISTON PROVIDED WITH A JACKETING MEANS THROUGH THE HEADS THEREOF SO A PART OF THE CIRCULATING AGENT CAN CIRCULATE THERETHROUGH AND AROUND THE END OF THE PISTON ROD IN SAID PISTON AND SAID CYLINDER PROVIDED WITH A MEANS CLOSING THE ENDS THEREOF. 